The Plan
by lonelywinter
Summary: When the news of a new Doppelganger arises, Klaus forms a plan that involves the woman he loves having no memory of him, and boy does Caroline hate the plan (AH) oneshot


**So this is ****alternate history and some things are different i****dk what's even going on but I hope it's alright? ****it may be a little long sorry! ****probably a lot of spelling errors because I wrote it and I tried to check it myself but I can only catch so much when I'm tired lol I'll go over it again later when I'm more awake! : ) review please!**

The gunshots were loud but neither vampire stopped to think about how they could be wounded. It didn't matter to them, they healed in the blink of an eye with nothing left to bare witness to them ever being injured. Unless the bullets were wooden than the two of them were golden.

They ran until they could no longer hear the noise of the city, trees blazing past them at the speed of light. The wind whipped their skin, midnights light showers kissing their skin. It wasn't until complete silence encompassed them that they finally slowed to catch their non-existent breath.

Caroline racked her hands through her hair, glad to be safe from the horrible scene that had unfolded around them. "Are you alright love?" A voice asked, the familiar tone of her lover -Klaus.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking." She smiled, her eyes roaming over his body hidden underneath the many layers of his suit. "You seem fine yourself."

Klaus smirked the way the devil does, "Not even a scratch." They moved together, his hands cupping the sides of her face, thumb tracing lightly against her cheek. "I'm sorry that you had to endure that. I hadn't suspected that they'd attack so soon."

He was making reference to his business partner turned enemy -Julian. Klaus and Julian had been working together on underground company, bringing liquor to the Chicago citizens during the prohibition. Klaus didn't really need the money he was earning but found it fun to do something so clever under the noses of his governmental pals. The whole thing wasn't Caroline's problem -until Julian decided to start doing his own deals on the side thinking Klaus wouldn't find out. Caroline did feel a tad sorry for the unsuspecting human, with no knowledge of just how nasty Klaus could be.

Of course the Hybrid knew, he always knew. He also had a sneaking suspicion that Julian was into Caroline, which was very much true. So the two of them concocted a plan to rid themselves of an unfaithful man. Knowing that Julian would never trust Klaus enough to willingly let him into the apartment without an invitation Caroline visited Julian instead and she played the roll of cheating girlfriend well. She told Julian she was bored of the life Klaus was offering to her, she wanted somebody more exciting, somebody like him. She kissed him for the act, feeling disgusted with herself when Klaus wasn't the one holding her. Though it got the job done. Just when Julian thought that all his dreams were finally coming true, Caroline pulled away from him smiling wickedly and compelled him, "You're going to let Klaus into the apartment and then you're not going to make a sound, got it?"

She let Klaus take it from there, it was a bloody massacre. The bullets had been from Julian's friends trying to seek revenge a week later. The plan had been a little more complicated then it had to be but half the fun of a kill, is playing with the victims mind first.

Caroline placed a light kiss to her lovers wrist, "Don't worry, I don't blame you for the events of tonight. Though I may have ripped my dress." Her pout was adorable in Klaus's eyes.

"I shall buy you a new one immediately." His promise was followed by a kiss to her pink lips, something they'd done a million times, but something that they never got tired of. Pulling apart they smiled, "Let's head back to the house."

-o-

Elijah was waiting in an armchair by the fire when they returned back to their manor. Caroline always hated the way the Original siblings seemed to believe that barging in on one another was acceptable -especially since some of them weren't single aka Klaus. Elijah turned upon their entrance with a tumbler of bourbon in his hands.

"Hello brother," Klaus sighed the annoyance Caroline felt shifting over to him. They were alike in many ways -and one of those was that they both didn't enjoy their house being used as a meeting spot without their permission. "What is it you'd like?"

He swirled his drink around in his glass for a moment of dramatics before answering, "It has come to my attention that our dear Katerina may have had a child out of wedlock before coming to us." Klaus's chin perked up, his body leaning forwards as if he were eager to jump on the information. Caroline was not surprised to hear the news, she had heard it straight from the horses mouth back when Klaus had tried to break his curse the first time.

"Which means that another doppelganger is within our reach." Klaus finished the sentence for his dear brother.

Standing Elijah clarified, "Not quite yet, there has been no sightings as of right now, but trust me. The moment that I hear about her I will tell you Brother." Klaus nodded in acceptance of the promise.

Caroline cleared her throat, "Well thank you Elijah, now if you wouldn't mind we have things we need to be getting to." That was a blatant lie but she wanted to be alone with Klaus, no interruptions or lingering ears.

He excused himself quickly and left.

The couple made their way towards the couch, sitting so that they were facing each other, their hands clasped together tightly. "Klaus I don't want to upset you but it may be awhile before the next Doppelganger surfaces."

His thumb was rubbing circles against the back of her hand, a motion he often did when he knew she was stressing out. "I know Love, but when she does I'll be ready for her." Caroline sighed, as he thought he had been ready the last time. "My next attempt will work, I just need to think smarter. I need to find a way to her that isn't a matter of the heart."

Caroline had hated that last part of his plan -trying to get Katerina to trust him by wooing her. "What if I did it?" She offered, "she's a girl she may trust me more than a strange man with an accent."

Klaus cocked his head to the side, "we shall see."

-o-

**20****09**

The plan was clear but Caroline didn't like it. She crossed her arms and screamed out against it until Klaus's ears were nearly bleeding but this was the only way he saw fit to weave Caroline into the Doppelgangers life.

"I'm not letting you erase my memories for the sake of your plan!" She argued, stomping her foot as she'd already done a hundred times before. Klaus was worried she'd put a hole through the ground one day.

He tightened his fists in an attempt to calm himself down, "Caroline for the last time, I love you and I wouldn't do this if I had another choice but this is the plan and we're not changing it now."

"Yes you can!" She flung her hands into the air in exasperation.

Klaus huffed in annoyance, having had enough. He raced towards her and pinned her against the wall, she struggled but she never had been much of a challenge for him. With the knowledge that she may hate him for some time afterwards he looked into her eyes and spoke clearly. "Caroline, you're going to head towards 34 Ash Road, apartment 7 where you live. You won't remember me, or any of my siblings, the last 600 years are just a blur to you." He paused, feeling his heart sink when he realized she wouldn't be able to land in his arms at the end of the day, or kiss him just because she could. However, he continued on. "You're going to Mystic Falls High School where you will meet a girl named Elena Gilbert, befriend her and allow her to know that you're a vampire just looking for a fresh start. You will write down everything you learn about her and place the note in your mailbox every night without questioning it. You'll only remember me when I call your name, Got it?"

In her entranced state she nodded, eyes glossed over the same way Klaus had seem them on so many of his other victims. "Now leave." And so she did as she was told, and Klaus suddenly felt the weight of their empty manor crushing him.

-o-

For the next few weeks Caroline did exactly what she had been told to do. Stefan and Damon questioned her for nearly an hour once they realized she was like them -a vampire. Though Caroline could only think of foggy memories that lead nowhere. She had no clue who she was, just that she wanted a fresh start. They deemed her non-threatening but oh, if they only knew.

Elena on the other hand took to her swimmingly. They became friends almost instantly, Caroline had the feeling that being with Elena was one of the only things that mattered to her without knowing the reason why. The girls were nearly inseparable -which kind of drove Bonnie mad until Caroline made friends with her as well and then everything started to cool down between them.

They learned about Klaus soon enough. After Katherine was locked in the tomb -Caroline never got to meet her but she heard that the girl was a real bitch- she scared Elena by telling her a story about a man named Klaus. It was nearly midnight when Elena called the blond and asked if she could go to the Salvatore Boarding House because she had information she just had to tell them all.

Caroline threw on something half decent looking and made her way over, feeling the chill of the air run across her skin. Upon entering the yard to the house she noticed that Bonnie, and Alaric's cars were in the driveway.

"Caroline you're here!" Elena smiled at her friend as she shut the door behind her. There was something tragic hidden behind her eyes, 600 years of wisdom had made Caroline more aware of others emotional tethers – even if she didn't exactly remember how old she was in the moment.

Taking a place on the couch beside Elena she questioned, "What's so important that we had to know now?"

Elena fiddled with her thumbs, not wanting to speak. Deciding that he'd had enough of the silence, a liquor filled Damon began to speak, "Elena was visiting our resident Doppelganger bitch and learned something new. Go on Elena, tell her."

The brunette sighed before opening her mouth and saying, "She told me that 500 years ago she met a man -well a vampire- named Klaus. He was cursed by some witch and needed the blood of a doppelganger to undo it." Caroline felt a pang in her heart but it wasn't sadness for her friend or even worry... it was familiarity. "Klaus was nice to her, as was his brother Elijah and their friend. She never said her name. Well they were all in on the plan but Katherine managed to get away with the help of a vampire named Trevor."

The story went on and Caroline listened to every word on the edge of her seat. She felt as though each new twist in the story was digging a hole into her heart. She knew something about this, she saw through the fog in small flashes but nothing was fitting together. It was all shapes and movements that never found their matches. When Elena finished Caroline realized she had been holding her breath. "Don't worry Elena, we'll figure this out." She patted her friends knee in confidence.

The next day Klaus retrieved her note from the mailbox. Elena had found out about him, and she was terrified. He smirked down at the loopy curve of her handwriting, the only thing he had of her for thee past few weeks were the words she printed on paper. "Soon Love, you'll come back to me."

-o-

It was a Monday morning when Caroline found Elena at her locker, nearly in tears. "Don't cry Elena it'll be okay." She promised her friend, hoping that the sweetness in her voice would somehow heal her friends wounds.

Elena tried to fake a smile, "Thanks Care I just wish that life was easier you know?" Caroline knew, she knew so much. Every night she just prayed that her memories would return and the small bubble of confusion she was living in would pop. All she wanted was to know herself.

Their conversation was disturbed by one of their friends who wasn't really supposed to be their friend -Alaric. He walked up to them with a smile on his face, one that reminded Caroline of somebody she knew that definitely wasn't Alaric. "Hello girls, how are we today?" He held his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on his feet.

Elena was fidgeting, seemingly uncomfortable by Alaric's attitude. Caroline studied their teacher, realizing that his behaviour was strangely different. However, unlike Elena she didn't feel the need to back away or cower in awkwardness. Caroline felt more relaxed than she ever had been. "We're fine Alaric, any news on Klaus?"

Alaric paused, "Um, no not yet. Though Katherine has escaped the tomb, we believe she may be with him." The girls nodded. "I'll keep you updated though."

Caroline smiled at him, "Thank you."

-o-

The phone began to ring the moment Caroline walked through her front door. She noticed that it was Stefan, puzzled she answered it. "Hey Stefan what's up?"

"Klaus got Elena, he got Tyler and Jenna, he's trying to undo the curse!" His voice was panicked and nearly breathless. "And get this, he's been disguising himself as Alaric for weeks, he knew everything."

Caroline paused for an instant, realizing that it hadn't been Alaric that brought her a calm feeling, but Klaus. Why?

"Where are you I'm coming to meet you right now." She declared, back tracking out of her apartment complex and towards her car. "Don't worry Stefan she'll be alright." The car door slammed so hard the neighbours could probably hear it even in the deepest of sleeps.

-o-

She found the Salvatore brothers on the edge of the forest looking positively livid. "It's about time Blondie!" Damon growled, his hatred for her almost seemed slightly out of line in Caroline's opinion.

Electing to ignore the eldest brother she turned to Stefan and asked, "Where are they?"

He titled his head, "We're trying to figure that out." Caroline clued into the fact that they were listening for any sign of voices. The silence around them seemed deafening, she just wanted to hear Elena's voice so badly -more than anything in the world.

Suddenly she heard a faint voice coming from the north, "Jenna it's okay!"

All of them looked at each other, "Elena!" They yelled, vamp speeding into the forest at dangerous speeds. Branches swatted at their skin, making small wounds that sealed shut before they began to even sting.

Caroline followed the voice of her friend, screaming and terrified. She wanted to help -to make it all okay like she promised it would be.

They stopped in a clearing where Elena's voice was pinpointed. Three rings of fire surrounded her friend, Tyler and Elena's aunt Jenna. Caroline could see the terror in all of their eyes, the fear that took over their bodies, it hurt her heart to see something so brutal. Klaus must be a monster.

Chanting started behind them, Caroline spotted a witch from the corner of her eye yelling incantations into a burning fire. She was the reason that Elena was in pain. Her first instinct was the kill the witch, sensing what she was about to do Stefan caught her arm and pulled her back. "She'll kill you before you can get to her."

"Stefan! Caroline!" Elena had spotted them through the flames around her. The three of them rushed towards her but she held up her hands to stop them. "Don't worry about me, you have to help Jenna!"

"Elena no!" Stefan argued but she didn't seem to be taking it.

"Stefan I'll be fine, the potion Elijah gave me will work I believe him!" Caroline shook her head -she hadn't heard anything about a potion. "Please just help Jenna!"

Behind them a booming voice captured everybody's attention, "Sorry Love, it's too late for her."

Caroline's breath caught in her throat at the sound of that voice. Her eyes landed on a man entering the clearing, his hands entangled behind his back, each step as menacing as the last. The power he had in his voice, in his eyes it made Caroline's legs feel weak. However, the moment that he looked at her he paused. Stefan didn't even seem to notice so perhaps Caroline was just making it up in her mind.

"Klaus." Stefan growled, "let Jenna go!"

The older vampire laughed, walking towards them once more until he was so close Caroline could smell him. It reminded her of something – god damn her lost memories. She felt as if they were near enough she could reach out a grasp them but when she extended her arms there was nothing there.

"And why pray tell would I do that?" His head tilted to the left, somehow the simple act made him seem all the more terrifying. Yet Caroline didn't feel threatened.

Stefan pleaded, "take me instead, please!"  
>Elena screamed, "Stefan no!"<p>

Finally the witch stopped her chanting bringing all eyes upon her, "It's ready."

Everything happened within a fraction of a second. The ring of fire surrounding Tyler lowered, Klaus pounced making sure that there was no escape for the young werewolf. Caroline felt bad for him, he was her classmate and in an instant his heart was ripped from his chest. Elena screamed.

They all stood in silence as Jenna's ring of fire began to lower. The Salvatore's made a mad dash for their dear Elena's aunt. Yet Caroline couldn't make a single twitch, her feet feeling like concrete against the dirt stained grass. Before either brother could do anything the witch was holding them down with her magic, pinning them to the ground as they groaned out in pain, their bodies writhing to be free of their hold. Caroline wondered why the witch wasn't keeping her back, why wasn't she a threat? Something seemed wrong.

Elena was crying, "Caroline help her please!" She was begging and the blond new that she should be racing towards Jenna but it was like she was possessed. "Caroline!" The sound of her name rolling desperately off Elena's lips made her insides crumble with guilt.

Klaus killed Jenna quickly, catching her when she tried to make a run for it. Elena was crying, her eyes swollen from every tear that touched her skin. Caroline wanted to apologize but with what excuse?

She watched him stand up from the dead vampires body, his hand drenched in fresh blood that dripped from his fingers like water running from a tap. His eyes appeared livid, high off the death of the two bodies behind him. Caroline stood fearless in front of Elena's ring, awaiting the moment she'd have the defend her friend -and hoping she had the ability to do it.

Finally the fire surrounding the brunette became to simmer down, making Caroline's body stiffen, this was it, she had to help her friend. Klaus drew nearer, not seemingly worried about how the blond would act at all.

"Caroline run, please! There's nothing you can do just go!" Elena was so concerned for everybody else that she didn't realized Caroline couldn't leave. She hadn't helped Jenna, she could at least help Elena.

"Don't bother pleading for her to leave, she's not going anywhere." He gazed in Caroline's direction, smiling wickedly. She felt a sense of excitement throughout her body.

Elena moved backwards, the fire now completely gone. She knew that she couldn't run but that didn't mean she couldn't try and postpone the inevitable. Caroline was so confused, everything started to become nothing. Stefan and Damon were shouting but it was just meaningless noises in her ears. Elena had stopped crying, she seemed to be ready to face death and Caroline -well she couldn't bring herself to move once again.

Her head was spinning, her world was upside down, she wanted to run until her legs gave way from underneath her but then one word brought her back to the present. "Caroline." It wasn't coming from the brothers in anguish on the ground or the girl that she called friend -it was Klaus.

And then suddenly everything made sense.

Her knees hit the ground as it came flooding back to her, the fog being chased away by the memories of her and Klaus. Of the man she loved. The night they met, when she made her first kill, the day she met Katherine, the nights they spent together in bed, the whispers of I Love You, the promises of forever. The everything she had been missing was suddenly filling her entire being and it was as if she'd found the last puzzle piece.

She also remembered the anger that he wanted to compel her, how she hated his plan, his strong hands grasping her arms and the way she felt as if there was nothing else in the world except what he was saying to her.

Caroline took in a sharp breath, hearing Elena yelling at the witch to leave them all alone -she thought that Caroline was being harmed by magic but it wasn't that. It was love, it was her life. It was Klaus and his stupid plan.

She stood up meeting his gaze, his mouth open slightly as he watched the realization dawn on her. The silence between them was like a thin rope, prime to be cut and never reattached. "Klaus-" She whispered. He thought she was going to embrace him, or kiss him, something along those lines but with incredible force she flung him backwards onto the ground. "You selfish bastard how could you do that?!"

He was on his feet instantly, "It was the only way! You knew that I had been waiting for centuries for this, what else was I supposed to do?"

"Trust me!" She screamed, anger boiling within her. "I've spent the past weeks going out of my mind because I had no idea what I was doing here, I didn't know who I was!" She felt tears brim her eyes -she hated crying in front of him, so she straightened up and made sure not a single drop escaped down her cheeks. "It's been 600 years do you not know by now that I won't abandon you?"

He was in front of her then, using his vampire abilities to make sure they were as close as physically possible. "I love you, of course I know that." She felt a lump form in her throat, "you have time to be mad at me later Love right now I have a curse to break."

Elena was in stunned silence, watching her friend argue with Klaus, hearing her speak to him as if they'd known each other for centuries. "Caroline what's going on?" She questioned.

Caroline was torn if only for a second, she knew what she had been planning to do but she never expected to actually enjoy who Elena was. She glanced back at her friend, pain smeared across her face, "I'm so sorry Elena, but I love him."

She moved out of his way, watching as Klaus grabbed Elena and drained the life from her drop by drop until she was nothing but rag doll on the ground.

-o-

**Two Weeks Later**

The night air was calming, nothing but the everlasting silence that encased her. She loved hearing nothing -it made her feel as though there was still something beautiful in the world despite how tragic her life had been. It wasn't because she didn't love Klaus or that she regretted her choice to be with him, it was because so many people suffered at the hands of others and nobody really took responsibility.

She herself knew that first hand.

Behind her the window opened, bringing an end to her reign of nothing. "Hey what are you doing up here?" She had been sitting on the roof of the Gilbert house, hoping that she'd be able to forgive herself for what she'd done to Elena.

Caroline turned, "trying to find a way to forgive myself." Through he window climbed out Elena herself, joining Caroline on top of the building. "I know that you somehow managed to do it but I don't know how."

Elena sighed, "Caroline it's okay, I'm alive I knew I would be. I can't blame you for loving him, you've been with him for 600 years."

She smiled, "Well at least one of us has a good heart." Elena laughed, nudging her friends knee with her own. "Well I guess I should get going, he's waiting for me."

-o-

"You know, you look beautiful in that shirt don't you?" Klaus commented as she entered the room. Caroline looked down at the raggedy old brown sweat shirt she threw on to head over to Elena's.

Snorting with laughter Caroline replied, "Yeah sure, but thanks for pretending." She walked over to him, sitting beside him on the couch as she had done all those years ago in Chicago. "You know I really missed you for those weeks. It was a living hell."

He sighed, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, "It wasn't any easier for me, I had to know what I was missing. How each day I had to live knowing I couldn't kiss your lips," he leaned over and delicately captured her lips against his. Caroline sighed with content. "I couldn't do this either," he moved down her jawline agonizingly slow.

Caroline couldn't help but laugh at how stupidly romantic he was trying to be. "Well you know what I couldn't do?" She questioned, watching him move away from her until their eyes connected. She smiled, "I couldn't tell you I love you."


End file.
